Tire.



W. N. RETTINGEH.

TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I, IQIB.

Patented. Apr. 9, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEETI W. N. RETTINGER.

TIRE.

APPLICATION man FEB.-1.1918.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WILLIAM N. RETTINGER, 0F BOURBON, INDIANA.

TIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr.9, 1918.

Application led February 1, 1918. Serial No. 214,916.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that LVILLIAM N. RETTIN- GER, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Bourbon, inthe county of Marshall and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tires, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to automobile tires, and has for its object theproduction of a simple and eliicient tire, which will eliminate thenecessity of employing air for producing the resiliency thereof to thegreatest degree.

Another object of my invention is the improvement of the'tire disclosedin my prior United States Patent No. 1,214,590, issued vFebruary 6,1917.

Vithrthese and other objects in View, my invention consists of certainother novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, aswill be hereinafter fully described and claimed.l

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in longitudinal section, ofa tire constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1, lookingin the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the chan- Y nel rim of my invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the channel rim,shown in Fig. 3, and showing one of the spring plates and a springpositioned thereon.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the tread links.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 6 6, Fig. 1, lookingin the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the cam buttons.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 Vdesignates the hub, and 2 thespokes of an ordinary motor vehicle wheel, and upon the outer ends ofthe spokes 2 is mounted the 'felly 3.

Carried upon the outer face of the felly is an annular metallicfelly-rim 4, which felly-rim 4 is provided with a curved flanged portion4a at one side, and at its opposite side or edge 4b, it is .flush withone of the'sides of the felly 3, Fig. 2.

An intermediate split rim 5, substantially U-shaped in cross-section, isplaced around the primary or felly-rim 4, the intermediate rim 5 beingprovided with side flanges for holding the body structure of the tirehereinafter described in position upon the wheel when completed,although when the intermediate flanged rim 5 is removed from the wheelby :reason of said rim 5 being split, the rim can be removed olf of thebody of the tire, and then the tire body can: be eX- amined freely orrepaired'if desired, or if found necessary. y n

The intermediate rim 5 is provided with alined central apertures 6(Figs. 1 and 2) which apertures are normally closed by any suitablestopper means, such for instance as corks 7. The function of theseapertures 6 will be hereinafter described. To retain the intermediateflanged rim 5 upon the felly 3 and the felly rim 4, after theintermediate rim 5 has been shoved or placed in the position clearlyshown in Fig. 2, causing one of the flanged edges of rim 5 to engage theflanged edge 4a of the felly-rim, a number of cam buttons 8 are forcedin between the felly-rim 4 and the intermediate rim 5 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6)and bolts 9 extending transversely through the felly 3, are placed inthe apertures 10 of the depending portion of the cam buttons 8, and nuts11 are screwed upon the bolts 9, thereby securely retaining the cambuttons in position upon the wheel, and consequently holding theintermediate flanged split rim 5 in position, which also retains thebody of my improved tire in position as shown in the drawings.

The body structure of my improved tire comprises an annular channel-rim12, substantially U-shaped in cross-section (Fig. 3) and a chain oftread links 13. The tread links are similarly constructed to those linksdisclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 1,214,590, issued February 6, 1917, andreference may be had to this patent for detail information as to thestructure of the tread links.

'I he tread links 13 preferably slide within the flanged edges of thechannel-rim 12 (Fig. 2). The channel-rim l2 is provided with apertures14 for receivingthe squared heads 15 of threaded bolts 16, Figs. 1 and2. Each bolt is provided with an integral washerV portion 17, restingupon the inner face of the channel-rim 12. K

The channel-rim 12 is also provided with a centering aperture 18, whichcentering aperture 18 registers with a similarly constructed aperture18"'formed upon the intermediate "rim', Fig. 6, sothat a centering bolt'19Ycan be placed in aperture 18a Vwhen the threaded end ofthe bolt 19 isthreaded,VV

into the centering vaperture of the rimA 12,",This registerm Vof theapertures 18v and `181Willmcause t e apertures 14 of the 'rim 12 toregister with the/similarly con structedapertures 6 formedintheintermediaterim in 'which apertures 16 are posi- L f QIl'e'd the'cork Stoppers 7* for keeping water, dirt, or any vforeign' substanceor. objectA Vfrom Working into Vthe interior of the' com- .'pleted tirebody; 4,

1j is ja Vspring supporting Vplate 20, `which plate 2,0 isV providedwith threaded apertures, intoV which Yare threaded the threadedextensionsof the bolts 16V, for adjusting the plates 20' to increase ordecrease the tor-Y sional.r strain upon coil-springs21,*which'coilsprings '21 are mounted. Vbetween the plates 20 andthetle'd links 13. lEach spring supporting platey 20V is provided withflanged ends and with al flange 22 intermediate its ends, which angesAconstituteVV ocketsjl for` one 'end of the coil-springs 21 or keepingthe springs i-n aftrue operable position,1 as

illustrated in-Fig.V I. kAround 'the channelrixn and the ftread links13'is spirally "wo'ui'id a suitable 'fabric 23,y as for instance,canvas, and after the fabric 2`3`has been l w'iundl or wrapped aroundsaid channel-rim '12 ndtread links 13, the surface of said fabric can becoatedor covered with rubber `Cirvulcanized in any' desired manner forfur- 'remove the intermediate rim 5, carry-ingthe tire body,t henremoving theicork stopper 7,

i andthrough themedium.of'an'ordinary T- vienchor othertool, the heads15, of bolts 16 are rotated, thereby rotating saidV bolts' carrying, theplates, and hence adjustingA the tensionori strain of the. springs 21,as it is found expedient or necessary during the lie'ofmy improved tire.After the a just- Inentof thepsprin supportingplates and springs, carriethereby, is accomplished byr` rotating thebolts assstated, through themedium of? any suitable tool'Y extending through the Y registeringapertures, lthe l cork Steppers 'I are placedl .1npositionl as shown kinthe drawings, and the intermediate rfir'n ieg plaeed utpon the. wheelVas shown. and de scrvi-bedyan islockedin position by the camVlilittonsandthe securing boltsl9.

'From the foregoing descriptionit will'be Mounted upon each pair ofrboltsfitV (Fignoted that I have produced a very eilicient tire,including metallic 4means for keeping ,Y the 'tire in anexcellent'expanded condition, A

as if it. were a penumatic tire heavily iniiated, and I khave providedvery simple meansfor positioning or assemblin all of the parts, as wellas the placing of t e same upon the 'felly ofa' wheel or theremovalr ithereof whendesired. v v

It is, to be understoodthat-the spring plate adjusting' bolts arey arranYediti pairs, two bolts to each plate, andt atr as plates andfbolts'`may be'used as the.

structorfdesires: Further I have shown a l series of cam-buttons",but'more' or less than the numbershown can beY used yas the constructordesiresk without departing from the spirit and scope of' thisinvention.

I wish it to be understood that I reserve the right'V to make suchalterations and changes to my invention aS will be Cr.

. to one" skilled in the artto whichV this invern son reines, andv aswin fairiy fnl waarin the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim' is :u i 1. In a tire of-the class described, thecombination with a fely, of' a tirebody, means fastening said tire bodyon said'feily,

saidY tire body comprising'an annular chanf nel-rim, a chainfof treadlinks surrounding said wchannel-rim, (pairs ofbolts' rotatably mountedupon sai channel rim a rin supporting plate carried by the bolts osatpair, said plate Provided with" anged ends andfwith` an intermediateAange, a p'erj of coil-springs mounted upon each plete beL tween saidYfianges and normally" exerting an'outward pressureV upon said tread.links and a vcovering for said chamel-rim 5- 'l said treadslinks, Y

2*."In a tire ofthe classdesmibedhercombinaaon with a fel-1y,- afeuy-fiim smi-ed,

upon said fe'lly,4 of an: intermedia-te rim positi'oned around said'fellysrii'n, means spaei-ng said intermediateriin from said 'felly` rim,a tirefbody positioned upon `said intermediate r1m springs insaid tirebody,`

means for adjusting thetensionof said loe springs, said intermediate andtire. body providedY with registering apertures, means vcentering said-rimand tire bodyfer causing said apertures to register, saidregisteringapertures also registering with the means for adjusting the tension ofthe springs, 4and detachablemeans carried in the apertures Vof: theintermediate rim sr closing the registering aperturesand therebypreventing foreign substance from vpelletrating to the interiorA of theYtire body.` A

3". Ina tire of the class described, the combinationrwith a felly, of-'atiirev body surround-V ing said felly, means supporting said tirebod onsaid felly, said tire body comprising links and' a` cliannelfrim, 'saidVchannel-rim provided with apertures,bolts provided with iso heads, saidheads positioned in said apertures, each bolt provided with an integralWasher portion resting upon the channelrim spring supporting platescarried by said bolts, springs interposed between the tread links andsaid plates, and removable topper means covering the heads of said olts.

4. In a tire of the class described, the combination With a felly, of afelly-rim mounted upon said telly, an intermediate rim U- shaped incross-section positioned around said telly-rim, means detachablysecuring said intermediate rim upon said felly-rim, said intermediaterim provided With pairs of stopper receiving apertures and With acentering aperture, a tire body positioned upon said intermediate rim,said tire body provided with springs, means for adjusting said springs,said body provided With apertures into Which said adjusting meansproject, said last-mentioned apertures adapted to register with thepairs of apertures formed in said intermediate rim, said tire bodyprovided With a centering aperture adapted to register with thecentering aperture of said intermediate rim, and a bolt normally seatedin the centering aperture of said intermediate rim and the centeringaperture of said tire body, thereby causing the other apertures of saidtire body and .said intermediate rim to register.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature.

WILLIAM N. RETT'INGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. C.

